Family attributes crash victim's survival to priesthood blessing

By Maximilien Weinstein

January 11, 2019

A terrible car accident took place Feb. 15 on Interstate 15 near Ogden, Utah. In that crash, 29-year-old Jessica Bingham reportedly lost control of her vehicle, which rolled at least six times, throwing her 50 feet into the air and over the cement barrier, Fox 13 reports. The unlikely intervention that followed has gone viral through a 2016 Facebook post.

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Danny Paniagua, who recounted the events in said post, pulled up to the scene shortly thereafter, where he found Bingham in dire condition, describing her as "laying in a pool of blood and torn flesh head to toe." While he and others waited for help to come, someone asked around for oil for a blessing, which Paniagua was able to provide. He then proceeded to bless the single mother himself.

Many people believe this very blessing was what has allowed Bingham to survive thus far. "Even the doctors don't know why she doesn't have a broken neck or spine," Denice Okey, her mother, told Fox 13. She and Paniagua started a GoFundMe page together for the woman.

While Okey and Bingham do not share Paniagua's Christian Latter-day Saints faith, Okey is nevertheless deeply grateful for the man's spiritual gesture. "I think any prayer in any religion — anything being sent out to the universe, whatever you believe in works," Okey tearfully told Fox 13. Watch the full video below.